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Ravioli: An Appreciation

Ravioli: An Appreciation Everybody Loves Ravioli Ravioli has become a favorite food for Americans, but its roots reach much further back. Ravioli is considered a dumpling, with filling sealed between two layers of thin pasta. Though it takes many shapes, including circular or semi-circular forms, the traditional form of ravioli is a square. In Italian cuisine, vegetarian ravioli is served …

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Flavors of Italian Cuisine

Flavors of Italian Cuisine As with all great cuisines of the world, Italian cuisine is defined by a set of foundational flavors. In every step of cooking, specific ingredients come together to create the profile that we recognize as Italian cuisine. Today, we’ll explore these flavors to examine what alchemy comes together to create Italian food.   Olive Oil Olive …

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Frutti di Mare: All About Italian Seafood

Frutti di Mare: All About Italian Seafood Surrounded by the Sea The Italian term frutti di mare means “fruit of the sea,” and refers to seafood. Geographically speaking, Italy is primed to feature seafood strongly in its cuisine. The characteristic boot-shape is surrounded by the Adriatic, Ionian, and Tyrrhenian Seas and juts into the Mediterranean Sea. All over the country, …

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Italian Summer Cuisine

Italian Summer Cuisine Summer is right around the corner, and warm weather brings a bounty of new ingredients. Italian food is traditionally known for hearty, comfort foods – often rich, cheesy, and served warm. But summer ingredients figure prominently in Italian cuisine as well. Today we’ll take a look at the Italian table in summer – fresh, bright, and full …

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Everybody Loves Truffles

Everybody Loves Truffles History of Truffles Truffles are a type of fungus used most often in Italian and other Mediterranean cooking. The word truffle comes from the Latin word tuber, meaning “swelling” or “lump”, based on its shape.  Truffles come in both black and white varieties and grow between the roots of a number of different types of trees. White …

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All About Italian Olive Oil

All About Italian Olive Oil History of Olive Oil Olive trees are native to the Mediterranean and have been used as a food source for centuries. As early as 6000 BC, olives have been turned into olive oil, according to archaeological evidence. Evidence has found that olive oil has been used across the Mediterranean, from Greece to Armenia. Olive oil was …

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Antipasti: The art of beginnings

Antipasti: The art of beginnings No one can deny that an Italian meal is a truly sensory experience. When you sit down to an Italian meal, the traditional first course is “antipasto” (plural: antipasti). The term is derived from Latin “ante” (before) and “pastus” (meal, pasture). Artfully conceived, antipasto presentations are generally colorful and boast many diverse items, to get …

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Spotlight on Tuscany

Spotlight on Tuscany Cucina Toscana gets its name from Tuscany, a region of Italy that traces back to the Iron Age. Tuscany has a long history as the hub of culture, thought, and the arts in Italy — and cuisine! History of Tuscany Now a vibrant cornerstone of Italian culture and cuisine, the region of Tuscany was a pre-Roman settlement. Geographically …

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All About Italian Greens

All About Italian Greens Primavera – Spring is in the Air! Spring is a bountiful time for produce, with Italian cuisine boasting ingredients that are light and fresh. Most of us know the Italian word for spring – primavera­ – perhaps due to the popularity of the dish, pasta primavera. It may come as a surprise that pasta primavera is …

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All About Italian Wines

All About Italian Wines Italian Wine Wine Enthusiast magazine writes, “In ancient times, the Italian peninsula was commonly referred to as enotria, or ‘land of wine’ because of its rich diversity of grape varieties and many acres dedicated to cultivated vines. In more ways than one, Italy became a gigantic nursery and a commercial hub fortuitously positioned at the heart …